Chinese Architecture


China is well known for its architectural designs, also known as buildings. Without these designs, China may not have been the same as we know it today. Some of the most important designs are Chinese Gardens and the Great Wall of China.


The Great Wall of China


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4160 Miles of Pure Walking

Have you ever thought of walking 4160 miles? If you did, why don't you just walk along the Great Wall of China. Although you may think that the wall was always that long, it really began as severeal smaller walls in different parts of China. At the time, the emperor, or king, of China wanted all the walls to be put together to create a stronger, longer wall. The wall that was made was really used to protect China from its enemies. It was a very beautiful piee of China because it was the one thing that stood out in front of all the people. Because of the power of the wall, it was very hard for someone to get through. The reason China is still standing is because the Great Wall overlooks the country. If the wall had never been built, China would probably have been like a crumpled piece of paper thrown in the trash. As years went by, more emperors decided to make the wall the most powerful wall known to man! If you don't believe me, why don't you just go see it for yourself.
The Squiggly Line is the Great Wall
The Squiggly Line is the Great Wall
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A Defense System


Chinese Gardens


Gardens were widely spread throughout families in China. They were very important, expressing culture and art.
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Architecture:

The buildings in the gardens are what make Chinese gardens so different from what Americans know. Gardens usually had covered corridors, waterside pavilions, multistoried buildings, verandas, halls, and bridges. All of these things are very unfamiliar to Americans. A covered corridor was a roofed walkway that connected buildings to each other. These corridors provided shelter for viewers.
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Covered Corridor


A waterside pavilion is usually a wooden house that lies over the water. A veranda Is a porch that wraps around the multistoried buildings. The halls were just decorated areas that served as gathering places for the people. Lastly, there are bridges that were built in all shapes and sizes.
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Waterside Pavillion and Bridge



Nature:

A lot of the plants planted in these gardens had a lot of different purposes, whether the smell, looks, or meanings.
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Bamboo; often in Chinese gardens


Some plants served as medical purposes. These were plants blooming in all 4 seasons. The rocks in the garden were often shaped weird to attract the viewers. The water was probably the most important. There are ponds, lakes, and rivers in every Chinese garden. They saw water as protection from fire of a provider of food, like fish.

Gardens gave people a lot of privacy and relaxation. They often made a home much nicer and more welcoming. Chinese gardens are very beautiful.

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By: Andrea Lewis and Sam Brooks

Works Cited
Bamboo. [Online Image] Available
**http://photo.net/photo/2000pcd1672/singa** **pore-chinese-garden-bamboo-55.1.jpg**, March 23, 2009.

First Picture of Chinese Gardens. [Online Image] Available
**http://www.liciabeads.com/Vacations/chin** **ese%20gardens.jpg**, March 23, 2009.

Corridor. [Online Image] Available
**http://www.chinaonyourmind.com/images/la** **ng.jpg**, March 23, 2009.

Great Wall's Defense. [Online Image] Available
**http://www.destination360.com/asia/china/great-wall-of-china.php**, March 22, 2009.

Last Picture of Chinese Gardens. [Online Image] Available
**http://www.pdc.us/images/photo-library_h** **i-res/chinese-garden_2.jpg**, March 23, 2009.

Length of the Great Wall. [Online Image] Available
http://www.lehsd.k12.nj.us/site/dupuis/images/Great_Wall_of_China.jpg, March 23, 2009.

Tourist Map of the Great Wall in Beijing . [Online Image] Available
**http://www.travelchinaguide.com/images/great_wall/beijing-great-wall-map.gif**, March 22, 2009.

Waterside Pavillion. [Online Image] Available
**http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/im** **ages/exbig_images/245eb2360ec10f8e329e1f** **0d2d7ea6c1.jpg**, March 23, 2009.